Teams of students from seven universities competed this year in
Dow Chemical Company's Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge, and the winners of the competition were announced Oct. 22 at Tufts University in Boston.
The participating universities are those that partner with Dow on education and chemistry programs, and include U.S. and international schools.
The 41 winning students are from Northwestern University in Chicago, Peking University in Beijing, Tufts University, University of California in Berkeley, University of Cambridge, University of Sao Paulo, and University of Michigan.
The student challenge was the second annual competition, and the winners were announced in conjunction with National Chemistry Week. Each team provided a sustainable solution to a social, economic or environmental problem facing the world, says Neil Hawkins, Dow's vice president of sustainability, environment, health and safety.
"Sustainable solutions are not just a driver of business and innovation, they are the key to solving the world's most pressing challenges," says Hawkins.
Award winners were chosen through a peer review process by the participating universities. The winning projects included applying organic photoelectric materials for solar power generation, exploring synthetic alternatives to compounds now produced from crude oil, and studying the potential for biotechnology from the interaction between bacteria and sugarcane.
Winning teams received $10,000 each for their innovative solutions.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Neil Hawkins, Dow Chemical Company
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